Sound signal-based local interactive platform system and local interactive service providing method using same

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a technology for providing a place/time-based local interactive service, which provides multi-formatted content information to a user moving while carrying a smart terminal having a dedicated application installed therein. In particular, when moving into a place were a specific wired/wireless AP is installed, a user who carries a smart terminal with a dedicated application activated therein can receive multi-formatted content information previously mapped with the place using a place/time, without a separate manipulation of the smart terminal. According to the present invention, time periods during which the user carrying the smart terminal stays at the place where the specific wired/wireless AP is installed are accumulated and managed using time coins, and the user is then given a benefit according to the accumulated time periods.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention generally relates to a technology for providing aplace/time-based local interactive service that provides multi-formattedcontent information to a user moving while carrying a smart terminal inwhich a dedicated application is installed.

More particularly, the present invention sets a sound signal, which isoutput from a wired/wireless AP installed in various locations, as anindividual pattern. When a user carrying a smart terminal enters an areain which the sound signal is output, the smart terminal detects thesound signal that has a unique number for a position of thecorresponding wired/wireless AP. This information detected by the smartterminal is transmitted to a content server, and based on the receivedinformation, the content server transmits multi-formatted contentinformation, which is previously mapped with the sound signal of thecorresponding wired/wireless AP, to the smart terminal, which outputsthe content information.

Also, the present invention relates to a technology in which a contentserver accumulates the time, during which a user carrying the smartterminal stays in the range of the sound signal output from thewired/wireless AP, as a time coin to be managed, and the user of thecorresponding smart terminal is provided with certain benefits accordingto the accumulated time coin.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, an interactive service refers to a service form capable ofbidirectional data transmission departing from existing unidirectionaldata transmission.

Especially, depending on various applications installed in mobiledevices and smart terminals, various interactive services related to anapplication can be used.

However, in the case of an interactive service using an applicationinstalled in existing smart terminals and the like, a user may use acorresponding service by manipulating a relevant menu in a smartterminal in which a dedicated application is installed.

In other words, though such an application is installed in smartterminals and the like, only a user adept in manipulation of theapplication may properly use a service corresponding to the application.

DOCUMENTS OF RELATED ART

-   -   1. Method for providing advertisement on interactive service        (Korean Patent application Publication No. 10-2008-0084137)    -   2. System for processing coupon or authentication code using        sound data (Korean Patent Application Publication No.        10-2007-0024716)

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

An object of the present invention is to provide a technology based on aplace/time method in which when a user carrying a smart terminal, inwhich a dedicated application is activated, enters a certain place,multi-formatted content information corresponding to a specific patternof a sound signal may be output in the smart terminal without specialmanipulation thereof by detecting the specific pattern of sound signalfrom a wired/wireless AP installed in the corresponding place.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the above object, a sound signal-based localinteractive platform system according to the present invention isconfigured to include: a wired/wireless AP 100 that has uniqueidentification information for a location and that outputs a soundsignal of a high frequency band in a preset variation pattern; acomputer-readable recording medium, which is mounted in a smart terminalhaving a serial number, and which stores therein a program that when inan activated state, detects in real-time the serial number and the soundsignal and transmits the unique identification information correspondingto the sound signal and the serial number to outside; a location server300 that receives the serial number and the sound signal from the smartterminal, and that transmits the serial number and the uniqueidentification information corresponding to the sound signal to theoutside; and a content server 400 that receives the serial number andthe unique identification information from the location server, and thattransmits in real-time multi formatted content information includingaudio data and video data, which is previously mapped with the uniqueidentification information, to the smart terminal to be output.

In this case, in the wired/wireless AP, one or more inversion intervalvalues for inverting an output of the sound signal are preset, avariation time for a section in which the sound signal is invertedaccording to an inversion interval value selected from among the one ormore inversion interval values is preset, and when two or more inversioninterval values are preset, the variation pattern is preset by invertingthe output of the sound signal sequentially depending on the two or moreinversion interval values on every occurrence of overflow exceeding thevariation time.

The smart terminal automatically outputs in real-time themulti-formatted content information received from the content server.

The smart terminal stores time, during which the sound signal output inreal-time from the wired/wireless AP is detected, as cumulative data,and then transmits the cumulative data to the content server via thelocation server, and the content server accumulates the receivedcumulative data as a time coin that a user may use through manipulationof the smart terminal, and maps the time coin with the multi-formattedcontent information.

Also, a sound signal-based local interactive service providing methodaccording to the present invention is configured to include: (a)presetting a variation pattern for a sound signal that is output from awired/wireless AP having unique identification information for alocation to the outside; (b) previously mapping multi-formatted contentinformation, which includes audio data and video data, with thevariation pattern in a content server; (c) outputting a sound signalaccording to the preset variation pattern from the wired/wireless AP tothe outside; (d) detecting, by a smart terminal having a serial number,in real-time the sound signal output from the wired/wireless AP; (e) bya location server, receiving the serial number and the detected soundsignal from the smart terminal, and transmitting the serial number andthe unique identification information corresponding to the sound signalto the content server; and (f) by the content server, receiving theserial number and the unique identification information from thelocation server, and transmitting the multi-formatted contentinformation corresponding to the unique identification information tothe smart terminal to be output.

In the present invention, step (a) includes: (a-1) presetting one ormore inversion interval values for inverting an output of the soundsignal; (a-2) presetting a variation time for a section in which thesound signal is inverted according to an inversion interval valueselected from among the one or more inversion interval values; and (a-3)when two or more of the inversion interval values are preset, presettingthe variation pattern by inverting the output of the sound signalsequentially depending on the two or more of the inversion intervalvalues on every occurrence of overflow exceeding the variation time.

Step (d) further includes: (d-1) storing, by the smart terminal, timeduring which the sound signal output in real-time from thewired/wireless AP is detected as cumulative data; and (d-2) transmittingthe stored cumulative data to the content server via the locationserver, step (f) further includes accumulating, by the content server,the cumulative data received via the location server as a time coin thatmay provide a benefit through manipulation of the smart terminal, andstep (b) further includes previously mapping the time coin with themulti-formatted content information.

On the other hand, a computer-readable recording medium according to thepresent invention records therein a program for implementing the soundsignal-based local interactive service providing method.

Advantageous Effects

According to the present invention, the following effects may beachieved.

(1) When a user carrying a smart terminal in which a dedicatedapplication is installed enters a certain place, by detecting a specificpattern of sound signal output from a wired/wireless AP installed in theplace, multi-formatted content information corresponding to the specificpattern of sound signal may be output in the smart terminal withoutspecial manipulation by a user.

(2) By specifying a pattern of a sound signal output from awired/wireless AP installed in various places, a content server maytransmit multi-formatted content information previously mapped with acorresponding sound signal to a smart terminal, which has detected thecorresponding sound signal, by an Auto-sync method. Therefore, incontrast with an existing method of indiscriminate delivery ofinformation, a new pattern of local interactive service may be provided.

(3) A wired/wireless AP having unique identification information for acertain location (place) is set to output specific pattern of soundsignal, and when a smart terminal enters into the output range of thesound signal of the corresponding wired/wireless AP, a content servermay transmit multi-formatted content information previously mapped withthe sound signal of the wired/wireless AP to the smart terminal tooutput the multi-formatted content information. Therefore, informationcustomized to a place. Where a user carrying the smart terminal mayvisit may be provided.

(4) Time during which a user carrying a smart terminal stays in a placein which a certain wired/wireless AP is installed is accumulated as atime coin, and benefits according to the time coin may be provided.After consultation between a content server provider and an individualbusiness person managing, for example, a movie theater, a café/a coffeeshop, a bank/public service, an exhibition/museum, a wedding exhibition,a digital signage, a franchise/shop, a department store/outlet, arestaurant/cafeteria, etc., multi-formatted content information adaptedto a purpose may be previously tapped with the wired/wireless APinstalled in the corresponding place.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram in which the whole of a sound signal-basedlocal interactive platform system according to the present invention issimply illustrated;

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating examples in which a variation pattern ofa sound signal of the present invention is set;

FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram illustrating a process for setting aninversion interval value and a variation time for a certain section inwhich a constant inversion interval value is maintained, according tothe present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an example for setting a variationpattern of a sound signal of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for providing a soundsignal-based local interactive service according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for providing a timecoin according to the present invention.

BEST MODE

Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail referring tothe drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram in which the whole of a sound signal-basedlocal interactive platform system according to the present invention issimply illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1, the sound signal-based localinteractive platform system according to the present invention isconfigured to include a wired/wireless AP 100, a smart terminal 200,location server 300, and a content server 400.

The wired/wireless AP 100 has unique identification information for alocation, and outputs a sound signal of a high frequency band in apreset variation pattern to the outside. The wired/wireless AP 100 mayoutput the sound signal by generating sound waves via a speaker of a PCthat communicates through the Internet.

The smart terminal 200 has a serial number, and records a program (adedicated application) that detects in real-time the serial number and asound signal while the program installed in a recording medium isactivated, and that transmits both unique identification informationcorresponding to the sound signal and the serial number to an externallocation server 300.

Also, the smart terminal 200 outputs in real-time on, for example, adisplay, multi-formatted content information, received from the contentserver 400. In this case, without special manipulation by a user of thesmart terminal 200 in which the dedicated application is installed,previously mapped multi-formatted content information may be outputautomatically (Auto-Sync method) while the dedicated application isactivated in the smart terminal 200.

Also, the smart terminal 200 stores the time during which a sound signaloutput in real-time from the wire/wireless AP is detected as cumulativedata and transmits the data to the content server 400 via the locationserver 300. The content server 400 accumulates the received cumulativedata as a time coin to be managed, which is used by user's manipulationof the smart terminal 200, and maps the time coin with multi-formattedcontent information. In this case, unlike multi-formatted contentinformation that is automatically output in the smart terminal 200without special manipulation, whether to use the time coin should bedecided by the user. To use the time coin like cash, the user mayoperate a menu displayed in the smart terminal 200.

The location server 300 receives a serial number and a sound signal fromthe smart terminal 200, and transmits the serial number and uniqueidentification information corresponding to the sound signal to thecontent server 400.

The content server 400 receives the serial number and the uniqueidentification information from the location server 300, and transmitsin real-time multi-formatted content information including audio dataand video data, which is previously mapped with the uniqueidentification information, to the smart terminal 200 to output themulti-formatted content information.

FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating examples in which a variation pattern fora sound signal of the present invention is set.

Referring to FIG. 2, the wired/wireless AP 100 presets one or moreinversion interval values for inverting an output of a sound signal, anda variation time for a certain section in which the sound signal isinverted according an inversion interval value selected from among thepreset inversion interval values. When two or more inversion intervalvalues are preset, a variation pattern is preset by inverting the outputof a sound signal sequentially depending on the two or more of theinversion interval values on every occurrence of overflow exceeding thevariation time.

In other words, to output a specific sound signal having variouspatterns, a variation pattern for inverting the output of a sound signalis preset in the wired/wireless AP 100. Specifically, (a) of FIG. 2 isan example of a preset inversion pattern. Here, as a variation time(TimerB) for one or more sections in which a signal is inverted, thesame time period is set for the sections. Also, a variation pattern of asound signal may be set to have a constant inversion interval value(TimeA1 or TimeA2 or TimeA3) within a single section.

(b) of FIG. 2 is an example of another fixed inversion pattern in whichseveral sections having the same variation time (TimerB) are set as in(a) of FIG. 2 but the order of the inversion interval values (TimerA1 orTimerA3 or TimerA2) applied to each of the sections is changed. As aresult, a different pattern of sound signal may be output in comparisonwith (a) of FIG. 2.

As in (a) and (b) of FIG. 2, a variation pattern for inverting a soundsignal is set to have various patterns, and the content server 400previously maps individual multi-formatted content information with asound signal corresponding to each variation pattern.

In this case, a sound signal having a specific inversion pattern isoutput from a wired/wireless AP 100 installed in a certain place. When asmart terminal 200 passing through the place in which the correspondingwired/wireless AP 100 is installed detects the sound signal,multi-formatted content information previously mapped in the contentserver 400 is transmitted to the smart terminal 200 and is automaticallyoutput on the smart terminal 200, in response to the specific soundsignal and unique identification information of the wired/wireless AP100.

FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram illustrating a process for setting aninversion interval value and a variation time for a certain section inwhich a constant inversion interval value is maintained, according tothe present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, in the wired/wireless AP 100adopted by the present invention, a control unit and a time may bemounted. The control unit controls signal inversion for a variationpattern of a sound signal output from the wired/wireless AP 100, and thetimer checks a preset variation time (TimerB) and preset inversioninterval values (TimerA1, TimerA2, and TimerA3) of FIG. 2 and informsthe control unit of the data.

Specifically, referring to (a) of FIG. 3, while the timer counts presetinversion interval values (TimerA; TimerA1, TimerA2, and TimerA3 of FIG.2) at step S1, when the inversion interval value is the same as a presetvalue (ST) at step S2, a sound signal is inverted as [1→0] or [0→1] atstep S3. Then, while the inversion interval value (TimerA) is repeatedlycounted again, the sound signal is output.

Referring to (b) of FIG. 3, the timer counts a preset variation time(TimerB) at step S4. On every occurrence of overflow exceeding the valueof the preset variation time at step S5, the variation time is changedto another preset variation time (TimerB). In this case, the variationtime (TimerB) may be maintained consistently. When the variation time(TimerB) is consistently maintained, through a variation pattern inwhich inversion interval values (TimerA) are differently set and theorder of the inversion interval values is adjusted, a sound signalhaving various patterns may be output.

In other words, if a sound signal, which is output as a form of acertain number of patterns, is set for a single wired/wireless AP 100installed in a location, unique identification information about theposition of the wired/wireless AP 100 may be identified based on thedetected sound signal.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram illustrating an example in which a variationpattern for a sound signal of the present invention is set. Referring toFIG. 4, a process for previously setting a variation pattern of a soundsignal, which is output from a wired/wireless AP 100 installed in acertain location, is described as follows.

At steps S111 and S112, first, one or more inversion interval values(TimerA1, TimerA2, and TimerA3 of FIG. 2) for inverting the output of asound signal are preset. Then, a variation time (TimerB) for a certainsection in which the sound signal is inverted according to an inversioninterval value selected from among the inversion interval values ispreset. In this case, the variation time (TimerB) may be consistentlymaintained for every section, or may be different for each section.

At steps S113 and S114, two or more inversion interval values that maybe combined with each other are set in order that a wired/wireless AP100 installed in a certain location and a wired/wireless AP 100installed in another location have different variation patterns. Then,another variation time for a section in which the sound signal isinverted on every occurrence of overflow exceeding the first variationtime is also preset. As described above, the variation time may bemaintained for every section, and may be different for each section.

At steps S115, S116, and S117, when a sound signal is output, as thesound signal is inverted according to an inversion interval value withina section having a constant variation time, the sound signal has aspecific variation pattern. Subsequently, if overflow exceeding thepreset variation time occurs, the sound signal is inverted according toanother preset inversion interval value within another section and as aresult, a specific variation pattern is implemented.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for providing a soundsignal-based local interactive service according to the presentinvention.

At steps S110 and S410, first, one or more inversion interval values forinverting the output of a sound signal are set in a wired/wireless AP100. Then, a variation time for a section in which a sound signal isinverted according to an inversion interval value selected from amongthe inversion interval values is preset. In this case, if two or moreinversion interval values are set, whenever overflow exceeding thevariation time occurs, a specific variation pattern is established bysetting the output of the sound signal to be inverted sequentiallydepending on the two or more inversion interval values.

Also, a content server 400 previously maps multi-formatted contentinformation including audio data and video data with the correspondingvariation pattern. In this case, after consultation between a contentserver provider and an individual business person managing, for example,a movie theater, a café/a coffee shop, a bank/public service, anexhibition/museum, a wedding exhibition, a digital signage, afranchise/shop, a department store/outlet, a restaurant/cafeteria, etc.,the multi-formatted content information may be organized according to apurpose of the place in which a wired/wireless AP is installed.

At step S120, a sound signal of a high frequency band, which has aspecific variation pattern, is output from the wired/wireless AP 100installed in a certain location and is transmitted within a certainrange by wireless local area network.

At steps S130 and S140, the output sound signal is detected by a smartterminal 200 of a user who stays near the wired/wireless AP 100 or whopasses near the wired/wired AP 100. In this case, the smart terminal 200maintains a state in which a dedicated application stored in a recordingmedium of the present invention is installed and activated at step S210.

Here, unlike an existing interactive service in which information isindiscriminately delivered to a smart terminal 200, based on a Real TimeLocation Service (RTLS), a user of the smart terminal 200 may suitablyuse information that a content server 400 wants to deliver through awired/wireless AP 100 of a certain location.

At steps S220 and S230, a sound signal detected by the smart terminal200 is transmitted to a content server 400 via a location server 300,through a network such as 3G, Wi-Fi, and the like. In this case, usingthe sound signal transmitted from the smart terminal 200 to the contentserver 400, the content server 400 may identify unique identificationinformation of the corresponding wired/wireless AP 100 and a serialnumber of the smart terminal 200.

At steps S240 and S250, subsequently, the content server 400 transmitsmulti-formatted content information, which is previously mapped with theunique identification information of the wired/wireless AP 100, to thesmart terminal 200 to be output, for example, on a display. In thiscase, in the smart terminal 200 in which a dedicated application isactivated, the multi-formatted content information transmitted from thecontent server 400 is automatically output by an Auto-sync method,without user's special manipulation.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating a process for providing a timecoin according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, in thepresent invention, a content server 400 accumulates the time, duringwhich a user carrying a smart terminal 200 stays within the range of asound signal output from a wired/wireless AP 100, as a time coin thatcan be used like cash, and manages the time coin. According to theaccumulated time coin, certain benefits are provided to the user of thecorresponding smart terminal 200. The precise process is described asfollows.

At step S310, the content server 400 previously maps multi-formattedcontent information with a variation pattern of a sound signal of awired/wireless AP 100. Here, the time coin is also previously mapped asa kind of the multi-formatted content information.

At steps S320 and S330, a dedicated application installed in a smartterminal 200 stores the time, during which a sound signal output inreal-time from a wired/wireless AP 100 is detected by a smart terminal200, as cumulative data. Then, the stored cumulative data is transmittedto the content server 400 via the location server 300.

At steps S340 and S350, subsequently, based on the received cumulativedata, the content server 400 accumulates and manages a time coin fromwhich a user carrying the smart terminal 200 benefits, and transmits thetime coin that is accumulated and managed to the corresponding smartterminal 200. The transmitted time coin is automatically displayed inthe smart terminal 200 by an Auto-Sync method.

At step S360, whether to use the time coin, which is automaticallydisplayed in the smart terminal 200, is determined and the time coin maybe activated by user's additional manipulation. Here, there are variousservices using a time coin as cash, for example, subscribing to aperiodical, obtaining a shopping coupon, and the like.

The present invention may be implemented in a form of acomputer-readable code in a computer-readable recording medium. In thiscase, the computer-readable recording medium includes all types ofrecording media in which data that can be read by a computer system isstored.

Examples of the computer-readable recording medium include thefollowing: ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical datastorage, and the like. Also, the computer-readable recording medium maybe implemented in a form of carrier waves (for example, transmissionthrough Internet). Also, this recording medium may be distributed in acomputer system connected by a network, and codes that computers canread may be stored and executed using a distributed method. Also,functional programs, codes, code segments to implement the presentinvention can be easily inferred by programmers in the art of thepresent invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A sound signal-based local interactiveplatform system, comprising: a wired/wireless AP (100) that has uniqueidentification information for a location and that outputs a soundsignal of a high frequency band in a preset variation pattern; acomputer-readable recording medium, which is mounted in a smart terminalhaving a serial number, and which stores therein a program that when inan activated state, detects in real-time the serial number and the soundsignal and transmits the unique identification information correspondingto the sound signal and the serial number to outside; a location server(300) that receives the serial number and the sound signal from thesmart terminal, and that transmits the serial number and the uniqueidentification information corresponding to the sound signal to theoutside; and a content server (400) that receives the serial number andthe unique identification information from the location server, and thattransmits in real-time multi-formatted content information includingaudio data and video data, which is previously mapped with the uniqueidentification information, to the smart terminal to be output, whereinin the wired/wireless AP, one or more inversion interval values forinverting an output of the sound signal are preset, a variation time fora section in which the sound signal is inverted according to aninversion interval value selected from among the one or more inversioninterval values is preset, and when two or more inversion intervalvalues are preset, the variation pattern is preset by inverting theoutput of the sound signal sequentially depending on the two or moreinversion interval values on every occurrence of overflow exceeding thevariation time.
 2. The sound signal-based local interactive platformsystem of claim 1, wherein the smart terminal automatically outputs inreal-time the multi-formatted content information received from thecontent server.
 3. The sound signal-based local interactive platformsystem of claim 2, wherein the smart terminal stores time, during whichthe sound signal output in real-time from the wired/wireless AP isdetected, as cumulative data, and then transmits the cumulative data tothe content server via the location server, and the content serveraccumulates the received cumulative data as a time coin that a user mayuse through manipulation of the smart terminal, and maps the time coinwith the multi-formatted content information.
 4. A sound signal-basedlocal interactive service providing method, comprising: (a) presetting avariation pattern for a sound signal that is output from awired/wireless AP having unique identification information for alocation to the outside, comprising the steps of: (a-1) presetting oneor more inversion interval values for inverting an output of the soundsignal, (a-2) presetting a variation time for a section in which thesound signal is inverted according to an inversion interval valueselected from among the one or more inversion interval values; and (a-3)when two or more of the inversion interval values are preset, presettingthe variation pattern by inverting the output of the sound signalsequentially depending on the two or more of the inversion intervalvalues on every occurrence of overflow exceeding the variation time; (b)previously mapping multi-formatted content information, which includesaudio data and video data, with the variation pattern in a contentserver; (c) outputting a sound signal according to the preset variationpattern from the wired/wireless AP to the outside; (d) detecting, by asmart terminal having a serial number, in real-time the sound signaloutput from the wired/wireless AP; (e) by a location server, receivingthe serial number and the detected sound signal from the smart terminal,and transmitting the serial number and the unique identificationinformation corresponding to the sound signal to the content server; and(f) by the content server, receiving the serial number and the uniqueidentification information from the location server, and transmittingthe multi-formatted content information corresponding to the uniqueidentification information to the smart terminal to be output.
 5. Thesound signal-based local interactive service providing method of claim4, wherein step (d) further comprises: (d-1) storing, by the smartterminal, time during which the sound signal output in real-time fromthe wired/wireless AP is detected as cumulative data; and (d-2)transmitting the stored cumulative data to the content server via thelocation server, step (f) further comprises, accumulating, by thecontent server, the cumulative data received via the location server asa time coin that may provide a benefit through manipulation of the smartterminal, and step (b) further comprises, previously mapping the timecoin with the multi-formatted content information.